by Marybeth Bittel

You know the look… You’re walking through the neighborhood with your Jack Russell or Labradoodle on a sunny afternoon, when suddenly, from 15 feet away, a perfect stranger turns from her mailbox and gives you the look. It’s a look that proclaims: “I’m coming over there to pet your dog.”

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This has happened to me multiple times with my dog Grant. A happy and headstrong rescue pup who’s sometimes insecure around people due to a background of abuse, Grant has a couple factors working against him: 1) he’s very snuggly and portable-looking, and 2) he has a face like a Vermont Teddy Bear.

No doubt, Brandon, the third-grader who lives a block away from us, was noticing these factors when he was overcome with an intense urge to walk over and ruffle Grant’s ears during a recent evening walk. Brandon edged toward us, looking smitten. I glanced over at Brandon’s mother, who was chatting on her cell phone.

“Um, Brandon,” I began, “you probably shouldn’t pet Grant right now. Why don’t you stand over there and say hello? He’d like that.”

Brandon kept right on coming, while Mom kept right on talking. I glanced down at my dog, whose posture and attitude were clearly announcing, “Yeah, not really into that ear-ruffling thing right now.”

“Brandon,” I intoned more sternly, holding tight to Grant’s leash, “please stop where you are.” With that, several things occurred at once: Brandon abruptly dashed forward, Grant lunged and snapped; and I swept my dog into my arms. As we hurried away, Brandon’s mother launched into action and scolded her (thankfully unharmed) son: “How many times have I told you to CUT THAT STUFF OUT?!”

So all right, we know the look — the look of someone intent on interacting with our dog. But do we recognize the look of a dog who’s intent on avoiding it?

The CDC estimates that roughly 4.7 million people in the U.S. are bitten by a dog each year. A large proportion of these bites could likely be prevented if we humans would simply familiarize ourselves with the specific language of canines. Both pets and people have personal space preferences — yet it’s important to recognize that each species handles the issue very differently.

For one thing, dogs don’t rely on their senses in the same order or proportion that we do. Human beings, for example, depend a great deal on our sense of touch. Our very first instinct, in fact, is often to reach out and touch something (which is one reason stores like Nordstrom post cautionary signs on their shelves). Dogs, on the other hand, have an extremely sharp sense of smell, and they get to know their surroundings largely by scent. Many dislike being touched or handled by a stranger. Plus, to a dog, steady eye contact and dominant body posture can typically signal aggression.

So with that in mind, consider the way many humans first approach a dog: looking into the animal’s face, bending over his head or body, sometimes rushing forward or stepping up suddenly, hands held out to grab or grasp. This may even happen while the dog is restrained or backed up against a solid surface. To a dog, every element of this scenario can be perceived as a massive threat — and if that’s the case, they’ll let us know. The question is, will we recognize the warning in time?

Here are some common dog discomfort signals every human should be aware of as they approach a canine:

•    “Shaking off” movements
•    Repeated yawning or excessive panting
•    Eye rolling or rapid eye blinking
•    Repeated lip licking or smacking
•    Tail pulled tightly under the body, or low and tense
•    Attempts to increase physical distance, such as leaning or scooting
•    Refusal to make eye contact
•    Sudden stillness or freezing in place
•    Crouching, cowering, or trembling
•    Rigid face/jaw (often signaled by a tightly closed mouth)

These are often the early signs. More pronounced behaviors include urine leakage, hard stares, growling or barking, snarling, snapping, and lunging. Of course, what’s vital to understand is that some dogs don’t display an early warning — they proceed right to their behavioral “red light.” And at that point, someone is very likely to get hurt.

When it comes to meeting and greeting man’s best friend, body language holds critical clues. Respecting these clues — and recognizing when to back off — can help us to gradually build a safe, secure and successful relationship with the dogs in our lives.